Historic Houses In London With Gardens

London’s historic houses are brilliant for a day out in London with friends as so many of them combine beautiful buildings and interiors with great outside spaces and gorgeous gardens for picnics and general outdoor fun for kids.

Now obviously we all know about London’s great historic houses like Hampton Court and the big name English Heritage and National Trust sites but there are actually over 50 historic houses within greater London that are open to the public.

These historic houses range from the grandest palaces and stately homes by the Thames to country houses now surrounded by the city and its parks plus small historic houses with lovely gardens all over London that are real hidden gems.

And lots of these historic houses in London are actually free to visit or have free access to their gardens and grounds. There are also a number of membership cards you can buy that aren’t cheap but worth considering if you will be spending lots of time in London over the spring and summer.

So to help you discover more fun things to do in London I’ve got for you here a big guide to London’s best historic houses including lists of:

• Historic houses by area with a mini guide to each area
• London’s historic houses that are free to visit
• Historic houses free with a National Trust, English Heritage, Royal Palaces or National Art Pass

You will also find in the guides details on how to reach all of London’s historic houses by public transport so we can all cut down on car journeys.

I do hope you enjoy exploring new places in London. Do share with friends.

South London Historic Houses

South London’s historic houses range from royal riverside palaces at Greenwich to beautiful Tudor, Jacobean and Palladian country houses now encompassed by some of south London’s best parks plus some smaller gems with really lovely gardens that were the homes of eminent Victorians.

There really is something for all ages and tastes in these different houses with some offering art, history and fine interiors whilst others are great spots with good facilities for a big day outdoors with friends and family.

• Morden Hall : National Trust house set in pretty park with a mill by the river Wandle close to Dene City Farm. Great for family cycle rides.
• Hall Place : a Tudor house with small but good museum for children by the river Cray with butterflies, owls & events in pretty grounds.
• Eltham Palace : an Old Tudor palace converted into an uber glamorous 1930s mansion & WW2 shelter with lots of events for kids.
• Down House : Darwin’s house set in beautiful valley in north Downs.
• Beckenham Place : a fine hillside Georgian mansion set in a large park with a lake, woodland, formal gardens and more.
• Danson House : a beautiful Palladian hill top villa overlooking a park with boating lake, playgrounds & splash pool.
• Red House : enjoy beautiful interiors at William Morris’ south London house – close to Danson House – which offers lots of family activities.
• Charlton House : one of London’s best – and most haunted – Jacobean mansions with gardens in a local park on the Green Chain Walk between Oxleas Wood and the Thames Barrier.
• Queen’s House : lots of art in to enjoy in this former royal palace in Greenwich park.
• Southside House : a 17th century family home with beautiful interiors and lovely gardens on the edge of Wimbledon Common.
• Whitehall House : a small historic Tudor house in Sutton next to Nonsuch Park that has been a labour of love to preserve.

For full details read this guide to South London Historic Houses.

East London Historic Houses

East London may not have the great royal palaces and grand stately homes of other parts of London but it does have some beautiful historic houses that are crammed full of history and in some great locations for meeting up with friends outdoors …

• Valentines Mansion : a pretty house with water gardens in Ilford where kids can go back to Victorian times.
• Queen Elizabeth Lodge : Elizabethan hunting lodge with Tudor museum right on the edge of eight mile long Epping Forest.
• Eastbury Manor : an Elizabethan merchant’s house with pretty gardens and lots of National Trust run activities.
• Rainham Hall : a pretty National Trust run Queen Ann house close to the wonderful wilderness of the Rainham Marshes by the Thames.
• Valence House : a Medieval manor housing local museum covering history from Romans to today.
• Clissold House : a Georgian house in popular park with good transport links across London making it a good place to meet up with friends.
• William Morris Gallery : the beautiful historic home of William Morris set in an attractive small park in Walthamstow.

For full details read this guide to East London Historic Houses …

North London Historic Houses

North London has some very well known royal palaces and historic houses but also has some lovely and fascinating old country houses with big grounds that are off the main tourist trail and great for days out with friends …

• Copped Hall : a chance to see history in action as this grand house is restored and an archeological dig uncovers the medieval house that preceded it.
• Forty Hall : lots of hands on, dress up history for kids in a Jacobean mansion with lovely grounds in Enfield.
• Kenwood House : get a whistle-stop tour of stunning classic art before you run wild on Hampstead Heath.
• Fenton House : pretty house, gardens and orchards right by Hampstead Heath.
• Capel Manor House : a peaceful manor house and gardens in Enfield which is good for pottering around with small children.
• Apsley House : explore Wellington’s historic home in central London then hit Hyde Park and swim in the Serpentine.
• Spencer House : one of the last great London historic houses with gardens backing onto Green Park.
• Myddleton House : the delightful historic home and botanical gardens of Victorian botanist E A Bowles.
• Bruce Castle : a 16th Century historic house with a small local history museum in local park with paddling pool.
• Stephens House & Gardens : a fascinating Victorian house with 10 acres of landscaped gardens in Finchley.
• Kensington Palace : this royal palace in Kensington gardens needs no introduction but has fascinating collections from Queen Victoria’s childhood.

For full details read this guide to North London Historic Houses …

West London Historic Houses

West London does without question have some of London’s grandest palaces and stately homes many of which enjoy the glory of stunning Thames side settings that are especially glorious in summer and can be combined with all sorts of river trips …

• Fulham Palace : a thousand year old bishop’s palace by Putney Bridge with lots of free family fun.
• Marble Hill : 18th Century river side villa with pretty furnishings that can be reach by a tiny ferry over the Thames.
• Ham House : explore life upstairs and downstairs in the amazing interiors of this big 17th Century National Trust riverside house.
• Strawberry Hill : a crazy gothic “castle” like nothing else in London with its own gardens and close to the Thames.
• Syon Park : one of the last great stately homes of London still lived in by a real Duke with stunning grounds and riverside meadows.
• Osterley Park : a Georgian palace surrounded by farmland and munching cows that is hard to believe is actually in London.
• Chiswick House : an exquisite villa in lakeland grounds that hosts family events over the summer.
• Gunnersbury Park : once a royal country house, Gunnersbury has been recently renovated and houses a local history museum.
• Boston Manor : a forgotten Jacobean gem lost in time by the river Brent that is due to reopen after renovation in spring 2021.
• Hogarth’s House : this historic house and garden in Chiswick is only small but was once the country home of painter William Hogarth.
• Hampton Court Palace : Henry VIII’s magnificent river side palace where he wooed a wife or … six! It is expensive but if you are going to spend the whole summer in London there are ways to make it better value.
• Kew Palace : George III’s intimate royal palace in the extensive grounds of Kew gardens.

For full details read this guide to West London Historic Houses …

Free Historic Houses in London

Visiting London’s historic houses can seem like an expensive day out but more than 10 of the houses in this guide are free to visit including:

• Fulham Palace, Fulham
• Forty Hall, Enfield
• Queen’s House, Greenwich
• Kenwood House, Highgate
• Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge, Epping
• Hogarth House, Hammersmith
• Gunnersbury Park, Hammersmith
• Boston Manor, Brentford
• Valentine Mansion, Ilford
• Morden Hall, Mitcham
• Clissold House, Stoke Newington
• Valance House, Barking
• Whitehall House, Sutton
• Charlton House, Charlton
• William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow

And if you’re less interested in the interiors and are really just looking for great grounds and gardens to enjoy a day outdoors in London with friends, the gardens to these houses are free to enter :

• Osterley Park
• Chiswick House
• Marble Hill

If you are going to be in London for most of the summer it’s worth looking at the various membership cards that once bought give free entrance to a whole group of houses. Available membership cards include :

• English Heritage
• The National Trust
• Royal Palaces

You will pay over £100 for a family membership with two adults but you will save money as long as you visit at least two properties a year.

There are lists below of the houses each membership card gives access to.

An alternative is to purchase a National Art Pass which will give you discounts across a range of historic houses in London plus other historic sites, museums and guides in London. Again there is a list below of the houses it gives access to.

If money is tight and you really want to enjoy London on a budget, do check out this list of free things to do in London.

English Heritage Historic Houses In London

The following historic houses in London are free to visit an with an English Heritage membership card (affiliate) :

• Eltham Palace
• Down House
• Aspley House
• Marble Hill
• Chiswick House
• Kenwood House (free to all)
• Strawberry Hill (half price)

The English Heritage card is not cheap but does also give free access to a wide range of historic sites that make very good day trips from London including Dover Castle, Tilbury Fort, Lullingstone Villa, Battle Abbey, Wrest Park and Audley End House.

You only need to visit a couple of the major sites in a year to start saving money with a membership card.

National Trust Historic Houses In London

These historic houses are run by the National Trust and offer free entry to National Trust members:

• Red House
• Eastbury Manor
• Osterley Park
• Rainham Hall
• Fenton House
• Morden Hall (free to all)

Hall Place and Strawberry Hill are half price with a National Trust card.

Royal Palace Properties In London

The Historic Royal Palaces pass is again expensive but it does give access to all of the following historic houses and historic sites in London :

• Hampton Court Palace
• The Tower Of London
• Kensington Palace
• Kew Palace
• Banqueting House

National Art Pass Properties In London

The National Art Pass gives free or discounted access to the following historic houses in London plus other historic sites, exhibitions and museums:

• Eltham Palace
• Marble Hill
• Kensington Palace
• Chiswick House
• Spencer House (discount)
• Apsley House
• Osterley Park
• Kew Palace

And there you go, an enormous list of the best historic houses in London including palaces, stately homes and country houses, that are perfect for big days out in London with friends this spring and summer.

Do read the area by area guides for more information to help you plan your trips including public transport details:

• South London Historic Houses
• East London Historic Houses
• North London Historic Houses
• West London Historic Houses